Sources for the History of the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlī Daʿwa in Yemen and Its Relocation to India
In: Journal of Islamic ManuscriptsThis article surveys the available sources for the history of the Ṭayyibī Ismāʿīlī daʿwa in Yemen, in particular in the years leading up to its relocation to India in 974/1566 and beyond. To date, this period has received little attention from historians of Yemen and Ismāʿīlism due to a lack of available sources, which was caused by the exclusive nature of the community and the hostility it has faced throughout its history. The present contribution is a first step in closing this gap in Yemeni and Ismāʿīlī history. A sample from a collection of correspondence exchanged between the daʿwa officials in Yemen and India (Qarāṭīs al-Yaman) is edited in an appendix.